In which I am billed as “other special guests” because I don’t wear a big furry suit:

Join us for our annual Reading Rally, a midday festival to celebrate the written word, following a day of reading in all the schools in Rutherford County. This free festival will be held 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on September 25 at Linebaugh Library, Smyrna Library, and LaVergne Library. We’ll have visits from storybook character Clifford the Big Red Dog, Snowbird, Corey Fleming (former football player at UT and in the NFL), and other special guests. Plus: storytelling, magic, music, crafts and activities for children, face painting, free snacks and $1 pizza, and door prizes. Co-sponsored by Read to Succeed.

The Smyrna Public Library is located at 400 Enon Springs Road W., Smyrna, TN 37167.

Phone: 615-459-4884 FAX: 615-459-2370

My reading time slot is 11:40 am.

I’ll bring AlphaOops, but chances are I might not read it. See…I *love* reading books, but reading AlphaOops every time is like Pat Benetar always having to sing “Love is a Battlefield.” My two default read-alouds are AlphaOops and The Monster at the End of This Book. But it has occurred to me to beef up my reading shelf. Per a coworker’s suggestion, I will be bring Bark, George with me to the Reading Rally. I’m excited!

What are your favorite read-alouds? I need some books for my shelf. New, old, classics…suggest away. And thanks!